Journal articles on the topic 'Greater Toronto Region'
To see the other types of publications on this topic, follow the link: Greater Toronto Region.
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the top 50 journal articles for your research on the topic 'Greater Toronto Region.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Browse journal articles on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.
1
Stein, David Lewis. "The Oak Ridges Moraine: A story of nature in the Greater Toronto Urban Region." Ekistics and The New Habitat 71, no. 424-426 (June 1, 2004): 118–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.53910/26531313-e200471424-426236.
Full textAbstract:
The author, retired urban affairs columnist for the Toronto Star, is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Urban Studies Program at Innis College, University of Toronto. He is working on a book about the evolution of Toronto as a global city and a novel about the inner working of Toronto politics. The text that follows was written by Professor Stein after attending the international symposion on 'The Natural City, " Toronto, 23-25 June, 2004, sponsored by the University of Toronto's Division of the Environment, Institute for Environmental Studies, and the World Society for Ekistics.
2
Üçoğlu, Murat, Roger Keil, and Seyfi Tomar. "Contagion in the Markets? Covid-19 and Housing in the Greater Toronto Area." Built Environment 47, no. 3 (October 1, 2021): 355–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.2148/benv.47.3.355.
Full textAbstract:
The Covid-19 pandemic has had crucial impacts on housing markets as working from home has become a new normal for certain economic groups. In this paper, we analyse the specific role the pandemic played in worsening the ongoing housing affordability crisis in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The GTA has, in fact, been experiencing a housing crisis since the early 2000s. In this paper, we argue that this continuing affordability crisis stems from the economic growth model that was embraced in the late 1990s, and we discuss why the existing market-oriented housing model has failed. The economic growth model of the Toronto region depends on the convergence of the financialization of housing and massive suburbanization. Because of this, the new wave of suburbanization that has accelerated with the outbreak of Covid-19 is not a new phenomenon for the GTA. In the final analysis, we also illustrate that the ongoing Covid-related-suburbanization in the GTA has deepened the housing crisis as the region continues to be less and less affordable.
3
Milne, Robert J., Lorne P. Bennett, and Paul J. Harpley. "Contributions of landscape ecology, multifunctionality and wildlife research toward sustainable forest management in the Greater Toronto Area." Forestry Chronicle 82, no. 3 (May 1, 2006): 403–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.5558/tfc82403-3.
Full textAbstract:
Forested lands in southern Ontario are threatened by a myriad of demands. In order to capture the multi-scale, multi-use and multifunction reality of forests within such intense human-nature interdependent landscapes, an integrative approach to sustainable forest management is necessary. Such forest management may be possible by combining the framework of landscape ecology with an understanding of forest multifunctionality. Within the Greater Toronto Area, the management of forests is provided by several agencies; some are responsible for 1) geological landscapes (e.g., the Niagara Escarpment), 2) for watersheds (e.g., Conservation Authorities) and 3) for political regions (e.g., York Region). In this paper, case studies reflecting important management issues are introduced. Wildlife research is then presented to link these issues to landscape ecology and forest multifunctionality in order to illustrate a means of enhancing sustainable forest management. Key words: landscape ecology, multifunctionality, multifunctional approach, sustainable forest management, Greater Toronto Area, wildlife function, integrative forest management
4
Sahely, Halla R., Shauna Dudding, and Christopher A. Kennedy. "Estimating the urban metabolism of Canadian cities: Greater Toronto Area case study." Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering 30, no. 2 (April 1, 2003): 468–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/l02-105.
Full textAbstract:
An urban metabolism analysis is a means of quantifying the overall fluxes of energy, water, material, and wastes into and out of an urban region. Analysis of urban metabolism can provide important information about energy efficiency, material cycling, waste management, and infrastructure in urban systems. This paper presents the first urban metabolism of a Canadian urban region, and possibly the first for a North American city. It also makes a first attempt at comparing the urban metabolisms of a few cities worldwide. The most noticeable feature of the Greater Toronto Area metabolism is that inputs have generally increased at higher rates than outputs over the study years (1987 and 1999). The inputs of water and electricity have increased marginally less than the rate of population growth (25.6%), and estimated inputs for food and gasoline have increased by marginally greater percentages than the population. With the exception of CO2 emissions, the measured output parameters are growing slower than the population; residential solid wastes and wastewater loadings have actually decreased in absolute terms over the 12 year period from 1987 to 1999.Key words: urban metabolism, urban sustainability, Canadian cities, materials, food, water and energy consumption, waste outputs.
5
Gharabaghi, B., A. Fata, T. Van Seters, R. P. Rudra, G. MacMillan, D. Smith, J. Y. Li, A. Bradford, and G. Tesa. "Evaluation of sediment control pond performance at construction sites in the Greater Toronto Area." Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering 33, no. 11 (November 1, 2006): 1335–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/l06-074.
Full textAbstract:
Receiving water quality concerns associated with increased construction activities in recent years in the Greater Toronto Area has prompted the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to evaluate design criteria for sediment control ponds employed during the construction period. Stormwater management ponds located in the towns of Richmond Hill and Markham were monitored to obtain stormwater runoff quantity and influent-effluent quality data during site development. The ponds were designed and constructed in accordance with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment Stormwater management planning and design manual 2003 for an enhanced level of protection (i.e., 80% total suspended solids removal). A hydrodynamic and sediment-transport model was used to examine the effect of pond geometry on sediment removal efficiency under varying storm events. The monitoring data and the modelling results clearly demonstrate the importance of proper pond size and geometry design. This paper focuses on the effect of the ratio of pond length to pond width in minimizing the short-circuiting effect and improvement of the sediment removal efficiency of stormwater management ponds. The results of this study will be useful in updating the design criteria for stormwater management ponds.Key words: stormwater, management, pond, design, sediment.
6
Granek, Fred, and Meenaz Hassanali. "The Toronto Region Sustainability Program: insights on the adoption of pollution prevention practices by small to medium-sized manufacturers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)." Journal of Cleaner Production 14, no. 6-7 (January 2006): 572–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2005.07.008.
Full text
7
Moos, Markus. "Urban Planning and the Suburbs: Solutions for Sustainability from the Edges." Urban Planning 3, no. 4 (October 30, 2018): 1–3. http://dx.doi.org/10.17645/up.v3i4.1794.
Full textAbstract:
This thematic issue of Urban Planning includes five articles that engage critically with the debates regarding the sustainability of suburbs. Contributions include a long-term perspective of the persistence of automobile-based planning and culture in Canada; an assessment of transportation modes among high-rise condominium apartment residents in Toronto’s outer suburbs; an evaluation of policy prescribed social-mix in France’s banlieues; a study of hyper-diversity in Peel Region in the Greater Toronto Area, which positions suburbs as centers of diversity; and an analysis of how the implementation and governance of new urbanist designs in three US communities has generally failed to achieve social objectives. The articles put into question the common approach of implementing suburban sustainability policy via urbanization and social mix. Together, the contributions point to the need for more stringent restrictions on automobile use, enhanced transit service in the suburbs, emphasis on bottom-up, community-driven policy-making, recognition of multiple dimensions of diversity, and strong political leadership to drive sustainability policy forward.
8
Rincón, Daniela, Usman Khan, and Costas Armenakis. "Flood Risk Mapping Using GIS and Multi-Criteria Analysis: A Greater Toronto Area Case Study." Geosciences 8, no. 8 (July 27, 2018): 275. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8080275.
Full textAbstract:
Given the increase in flood events in recent years, accurate flood risk assessment is an important component of flood mitigation in urban areas. This research aims to develop updated and accurate flood risk maps in the Don River Watershed within the Great Toronto Area (GTA). The risk maps use geographical information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria analysis along with the application of Analytical Hierarchy Process methods to define and quantify the optimal selection of weights for the criteria that contribute to flood risk. The flood hazard maps were generated for four scenarios, each with different criteria (S1, S2, S3, and S4). The base case scenario (S1) is the most accurate, since it takes into account the floodplain map developed by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. It also considers distance to streams (DS), height above nearest drainage (HAND), slope (S), and the Curve Number (CN). S2 only considers DS, HAND, and CN, whereas S3 considers effective precipitation (EP), DS, HAND, and S. Lastly, S4 considers total precipitation (TP), DS, HAND, S, and CN. In addition to the flood hazard, the social and economic vulnerability was included to determine the total flood vulnerability in the watershed under three scenarios; the first one giving a higher importance to the social vulnerability, the second one giving equal importance to both social and economic vulnerability, and the third one giving more importance to the economic vulnerability. The results for each of the four flood scenarios show that the flood risk generated for S2 is the most similar to the base case (S1), followed by S3 and S4. The inclusion of social and economic vulnerability highlights the impacts of floods that are typically ignored in practice. It will allow watershed managers to make more informed decisions for flood mitigation and protection. The most important outcome of this research is that by only using the digital elevation model, the census data, the streams, land use, and soil type layers, it is possible to obtain a reliable flood risk map (S2) using a simplified method as compared to more complex flood risk methods that use hydraulic and hydrological models to generate flood hazard maps (as was the case for S1).
9
Stratton, J., D. L. Mowat, R. Wilkins, and M. Tjepkema. "Income disparities in life expectancy in the City of Toronto and Region of Peel, Ontario." Chronic Diseases and Injuries in Canada 32, no. 4 (September 2012): 208–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.32.4.05.
Full textAbstract:
Introduction To understand the lack of a gradient in mortality by neighbourhood income in a previous study, we used individual-level data from the 1991–2001 Canadian census mortality follow-up study to examine income-related disparities in life expectancy and probability of survival to age 75 years in the City of Toronto and Region of Peel. Methods We calculated period life tables for each sex and income adequacy quintile, overall and separately for immigrants and non-immigrants. Results For all cohort members of both sexes, including both immigrants and non-immigrants, there was a clear gradient across the income quintiles, with higher life expectancy in each successively richer quintile. However, the disparities by income were much greater when the analysis was restricted to non-immigrants. The lesser gradient for immigrants appeared to reflect the higher proportion of recent immigrants in the lower income quintiles. Conclusion These findings highlight the importance of using individual-level ascertainment of income whenever possible, and of including immigrant status and period of immigration in assessments of health outcomes, especially for areas with a high proportion of immigrants.
10
Stroud, Craig, Shuzhan Ren, Junhua Zhang, Michael Moran, Ayodeji Akingunola, Paul Makar, Rodrigo Munoz-Alpizar, et al. "Chemical Analysis of Surface-Level Ozone Exceedances during the 2015 Pan American Games." Atmosphere 11, no. 6 (June 1, 2020): 572. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/atmos11060572.
Full textAbstract:
Surface-level ozone (O3) continues to be a significant health risk in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA) of Canada even though precursor emissions in the area have decreased significantly over the past two decades. In July 2015, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) led an intensive field study coincident with Toronto hosting the 2015 Pan American Games. During the field study, the daily 1-h maximum O3 standard (80 ppbv) was exceeded twice at a measurement site in North Toronto, once on July 12 and again on July 28. In this study, ECCC’s 2.5-km configuration of the Global Environmental Multi-scale (GEM) meteorological model was combined with the Modelling Air-quality and CHemistry (MACH) on-line atmospheric chemistry model and the Town Energy Balance (TEB) urban surface parameterization to create a new urban air quality modelling system. In general, the model results showed that the nested 2.5-km grid-spaced urban air quality model performed better in statistical scores compared to the piloting 10-km grid-spaced GEM-MACH model without TEB. Model analyses were performed with GEM-MACH-TEB for the two exceedance periods. The local meteorology for both cases consisted of light winds with the highest O3 predictions situated along lake-breeze fronts. For the July 28 case, O3 production sensitivity analysis along the trajectory of the lake-breeze circulation showed that the region of most efficient O3 production occurred in the updraft region of the lake-breeze front, as the precursors to O3 formation underwent vertical mixing. In this updraft region, the ozone production switches from volatile organic compound (VOC)-sensitive to NOx-sensitive, and the local net O3 production rate reaches a maximum. This transition in the chemical regime is a previously unidentified factor for why O3 surface-level mixing ratios maximize along the lake-breeze front. For the July 12 case, differences between the model and observed Lake Ontario water temperature and the strength of lake-breeze opposing wind flow play a role in differences in the timing of the lake-breeze, which impacts the predicted location of the O3 maximum north of Toronto.
11
Tole, Lise. "Changes in the built vs. non-built environment in a rapidly urbanizing region: A case study of the Greater Toronto Area." Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 32, no. 5 (September 2008): 355–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2008.08.002.
Full text
12
Miller, Eric J., and Amal Ibrahim. "Urban Form and Vehicular Travel: Some Empirical Findings." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 1617, no. 1 (January 1998): 18–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/1617-03.
Full textAbstract:
Some empirical findings are presented on the relationship between urban form and work trip commuting efficiency, drawn from the analysis of 1986 work trip commuting patterns in the greater Toronto area. Work trip commuting efficiency is measured with respect to the average number of vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT) per worker in a given zone. Preliminary findings include VKT per worker increases as one moves away from both the central core of the city and from other high-density employment centers within the region; job-housing balance, per se, shows little impact on commuting VKT; and population density, in and of itself, does not explain variations on commuting VKT once other urban structure variables have been accounted for.
13
Pugliese, Stephanie C., Jennifer G. Murphy, Felix R. Vogel, Michael D. Moran, Junhua Zhang, Qiong Zheng, Craig A. Stroud, Shuzhan Ren, Douglas Worthy, and Gregoire Broquet. "High-resolution quantification of atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> mixing ratios in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 18, no. 5 (March 8, 2018): 3387–401. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-3387-2018.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. Many stakeholders are seeking methods to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in urban areas, but reliable, high-resolution inventories are required to guide these efforts. We present the development of a high-resolution CO2 inventory available for the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding region in Southern Ontario, Canada (area of ∼ 2.8 × 105 km2, 26 % of the province of Ontario). The new SOCE (Southern Ontario CO2 Emissions) inventory is available at the 2.5 × 2.5 km spatial and hourly temporal resolution and characterizes emissions from seven sectors: area, residential natural-gas combustion, commercial natural-gas combustion, point, marine, on-road, and off-road. To assess the accuracy of the SOCE inventory, we developed an observation–model framework using the GEM-MACH chemistry–transport model run on a high-resolution grid with 2.5 km grid spacing coupled to the Fossil Fuel Data Assimilation System (FFDAS) v2 inventories for anthropogenic CO2 emissions and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) land carbon model C-TESSEL for biogenic fluxes. A run using FFDAS for the Southern Ontario region was compared to a run in which its emissions were replaced by the SOCE inventory. Simulated CO2 mixing ratios were compared against in situ measurements made at four sites in Southern Ontario – Downsview, Hanlan's Point, Egbert and Turkey Point – in 3 winter months, January–March 2016. Model simulations had better agreement with measurements when using the SOCE inventory emissions versus other inventories, quantified using a variety of statistics such as correlation coefficient, root-mean-square error, and mean bias. Furthermore, when run with the SOCE inventory, the model had improved ability to capture the typical diurnal pattern of CO2 mixing ratios, particularly at the Downsview, Hanlan's Point, and Egbert sites. In addition to improved model–measurement agreement, the SOCE inventory offers a sectoral breakdown of emissions, allowing estimation of average time-of-day and day-of-week contributions of different sectors. Our results show that at night, emissions from residential and commercial natural-gas combustion and other area sources can contribute > 80 % of the CO2 enhancement, while during the day emissions from the on-road sector dominate, accounting for > 70 % of the enhancement.
14
McMullin, Richard Troy, Katherine Drotos, David Ireland, and Hanna Dorval. "Diversity and conservation status of lichens and allied fungi in the Greater Toronto Area: results from four years of the Ontario BioBlitz." Canadian Field-Naturalist 132, no. 4 (July 11, 2019): 394–406. http://dx.doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v132i4.1997.
Full textAbstract:
Bioblitzes are typically 24-hour biological surveys of a defined region carried out by taxonomic specialists, citizen scientists, and the general public. The largest in Canada is the Ontario BioBlitz, an annual event held in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Between 2013 and 2016, we examined the feasibility of including lichens and allied fungi in the Ontario BioBlitz. These taxa are often overlooked, understudied, and taxonomically difficult. We completed a bioblitz in each of the four major watersheds in the GTA and recorded 138 species in 72 genera which, combined with all previous collections, totals 180 species in 88 genera in the area. Thirteen of the species we collected are provincially ranked as S1 (critically imperilled), S2 (imperilled), or S3 (vulnerable). We collected Lecanora carpinea for the first time in Ontario. Our results provide a baseline list of GTA lichens that can be used for monitoring. This is one of the first detailed lichen surveys of a major North American urban area and it demonstrates that rapid bioblitz surveys are proficient in capturing lichen diversity despite their inconspicuous nature and the advanced microscopy and chemical analyses required for their identification.
15
Ganguli, Poulomi, and Paulin Coulibaly. "Does nonstationarity in rainfall require nonstationary intensity–duration–frequency curves?" Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 21, no. 12 (December 18, 2017): 6461–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-6461-2017.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. In Canada, risk of flooding due to heavy rainfall has risen in recent decades; the most notable recent examples include the July 2013 storm in the Greater Toronto region and the May 2017 flood of the Toronto Islands. We investigate nonstationarity and trends in the short-duration precipitation extremes in selected urbanized locations in Southern Ontario, Canada, and evaluate the potential of nonstationary intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves, which form an input to civil infrastructural design. Despite apparent signals of nonstationarity in precipitation extremes in all locations, the stationary vs. nonstationary models do not exhibit any significant differences in the design storm intensity, especially for short recurrence intervals (up to 10 years). The signatures of nonstationarity in rainfall extremes do not necessarily imply the use of nonstationary IDFs for design considerations. When comparing the proposed IDFs with current design standards, for return periods (10 years or less) typical for urban drainage design, current design standards require an update of up to 7 %, whereas for longer recurrence intervals (50–100 years), ideal for critical civil infrastructural design, updates ranging between ∼ 2 and 44 % are suggested. We further emphasize that the above findings need re-evaluation in the light of climate change projections since the intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation are expected to intensify due to global warming.
16
Daiski, Isolde, Nancy Viva Davis Halifax, Gail J. Mitchell, and Andre Lyn. "Homelessness in the Suburbs: Engulfment in the Grotto of Poverty." Studies in Social Justice 6, no. 1 (November 1, 2012): 103–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.26522/ssj.v6i1.1071.
Full textAbstract:
This paper describes findings of a research inquiry into the lived experience of homelessness in Peel, a suburban region located in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. It is based on the data from a collaborative project undertaken by members of the Faculties of Health and Education of York University with two local community organizations. The dominant theme of the narratives was that suburban homelessness is similar to being engulfed in a grotto of poverty, isolated from the rest of the community and invisible to it. Once entrapped in the grotto, it is almost impossible to escape from it. There were four sub-themes: (a) falling into the grotto, (b) living/struggling in the grotto, (c) envisioning escape routes from the grotto, and (d) beauty, community and hope in the grotto. Following a discussion of the findings, researchers describe strategies to address homelessness through promotion of social justice for all.
17
Borisko, Jeff P., Bruce W. Kilgour, Les W. Stanfield, and F. Chris Jones. "An Evaluation of Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for Stream Benthic Invertebrates in Southern Ontario, Canada." Water Quality Research Journal 42, no. 3 (August 1, 2007): 184–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wqrj.2007.022.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract In this study, we sampled stream benthos using rapid bioassessment methods (i.e., D-nets, coarse taxonomy) from sites in and around Toronto, Ontario that represented a range of stream characteristics (e.g., drainage areas). The protocols were developed by or adapted from: (1) Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, (2) Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, (3) Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network/Ministry of the Environment, and (4) Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network/Environment Canada. Summary indices (Hilsenhoff's modified Biotic Index [HBI]; percent of fauna as Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera [% EPT]; number of taxa [S]; and Shannon's Diversity Index [H']) calculated from the resulting data were used to evaluate differences between protocols in a series of analyses including analysis of variance and variance components analysis. The study found that sampling method was an unimportant source of variation in summary index values relative to other factors such as the stream or year sampled. The largest percent variance amongst stream or year factors (main and interactions) was at least three times greater than the corresponding method related percent variances. The results of this study suggest that these four bioassessment methods are interchangeable within the context of large geographic scales or for the detection of major impacts. In cases where impacts to the benthic community are subtle, protocols should include one or more of discrete habitat sampling, replication, and lower taxonomic resolution. The data and findings here may help agencies integrate different sampling protocols into their biomonitoring and assessment programs.
18
Cardenas, Analyssa, Cindy Bruce-Barrett, Aaron Campigotto, Blossom Dharmaraj, Christine McGovern, Michelle Science, and Julia Orkin. "59 Understanding asymptomatic testing uptake amongst school aged children and staff for SARS-CoV-2 testing in elementary and secondary schools." Paediatrics & Child Health 27, Supplement_3 (October 1, 2022): e28-e29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxac100.058.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Background Enhanced health and safety measures, such as symptom screening, physical distancing, cohorting, masking, and asymptomatic testing for children have been introduced into schools to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Although asymptomatic testing has been considered a measure to reduce in-school transmission, it has not been broadly implemented or evaluated. To address this, a pilot project with public health, school boards, and hospital-based testing partners was established to assess the feasibility of offering on-site and low barrier SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing across schools in the Toronto region. Objectives The primary objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of offering on-site and low barrier PCR asymptomatic testing across schools in the Toronto region. Design/Methods A six-week testing pilot across the Greater Toronto Area took place. Schools were selected to participate in expanded testing to determine case prevalence in high-risk settings of school-based SARS-CoV-2. Students and staff were excluded if they had tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 3 months. Different testing opportunities were offered based on the testing partner and school preference including location and modality. Descriptive methods were used to assess the uptake of testing and case positivity by individuals recommended to be tested. Results Eighteen schools participated in the pilot testing. All students and staff were invited to participate in asymptomatic testing. Testing was offered to 9282 students and 1000 staff, and testing uptake was 29% (2729 students) and 54% (544 staff), respectively. Forty-eight percent of tests (1645) were oral nasal tests, 18% (622) were NP swab tests and 33% (1120) were saliva tests. Of the saliva tests, 52% (590) were on-site saliva tests and 48% (530) were take-home saliva kits. The staff and student positivity rate for on-site testing was 1.9% and 4.9% for tests completed at the COVID-19 Assessment Center at SickKids. Conclusion Results from this pilot project demonstrate that on-site PCR testing uptake remained low despite offering in-school testing, specialized support, and reduced barriers by using non-invasive testing with the use of saliva/oral nasal/PCR testing kits. Results highlight the challenges of asymptomatic testing and the balance of resource utilization for low case counts. Future studies should examine alternate means of symptomatic testing.
19
Buliung, Ron, and Tony Hernandez. "Retail Development in Urban Canada." International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research 4, no. 1 (January 2013): 32–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jagr.2013010103.
Full textAbstract:
During the last decade, rapid changes have occurred in the retail economy of North America that has brought about a functional transformation of retailing. Using data from a longitudinal database of commercial activity, this paper explores spatio-temporal patterns of retail development within Canada’s largest metropolitan region, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The paper provides an overview of the evolution of retailing in Canada and spatio-temporal analysis of the developing retail structure of the GTA. The work is situated within the branch of spatial statistics concerned with the description of spatial point processes. Bivariate kernel estimation and the G function are used to describe spatial patterns of retailing over time and by retail format type. The results highlight the wave of power centre retailing that swept across the GTA between 1996 and 2005. The paper concludes with a discussion of the gap between policy and planning and an emerging retail reality.
20
Borjian, Shahrzad, Jake Schabas, and John Segal. "Exploratory Method for Practitioners Analyzing the Impact of Integrated Fare Structures in Decentralized Metropolitan Regions." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2652, no. 1 (January 2017): 124–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/2652-14.
Full textAbstract:
Metrolinx, the regional transportation agency tasked with improving the coordination and integration of all transportation modes in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, has developed an exploratory method for analyzing the effects of new fare structures that integrate the fare systems of multiple transit service providers in the region. The method uses a data set of all weekday trips made in the region segmented by modes used and origin–destination information. A formula derived from the mode choice modeling theory is used to obtain fare elasticity based on unit cost, mode share, and time of day. The distribution of elasticities produced is then calibrated according to a literature review of fare elasticities, and in the future, it will be done according to local market research. The result is a spreadsheet-based tool that provides analysts with an ability to test more complex changes to fare systems, including testing fare integration between agencies and introducing fares by distance, mode, time of day, or a combination of those features. Exploratory in nature, the method is not a replacement for comprehensive market research or fare pilots. However, it addresses the shortcomings of traditional fare analyses that use only aggregate elasticities for diverse market segments by better reflecting the spectrum of transit user sensitivities associated with specific travel characteristics. Furthermore, it provides analysts with a straightforward tool to test the effects of complex fare structures more commonly used in Europe and Asia enabled by smart card and open payment technology on ridership, revenue, emissions, and social equity.
21
Nistor, Adela, and Diana Reianu. "Determinants of housing prices: evidence from Ontario cities, 2001-2011." International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis 11, no. 3 (June 4, 2018): 541–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijhma-08-2017-0078.
Full textAbstract:
Purpose This paper aims to present a panel data econometric model of the main determinants of house prices in the ten largest census metropolitan areas (CMA) in Ontario, Canada, for the years 2001, 2006 and 2011. The impact of immigration on the housing market in Canada is little researched; however, immigration plays an important role into the economy of Canada. According to Statistics Canada, not only is immigration key to Canada’s population growth but also without immigration, in the next 20 years, Canada’s population growth will be zero. The motivation for this study is the bursting of housing bubbles in some developed countries (e.g. USA). The authors analyze variables that are related to the immigration policy in Canada, accounting also for the impact of the interest rate, income, unemployment, household size and housing supply to analyze housing price determinants. The study investigates the magnitude of the impact of the top three leading categories of immigrants to Canada, namely, Chinese, Indian and Filipino, on the housing prices in Ontario’s largest cities. The results show the main factors that explain home prices over time that are interest rate, immigration, unemployment rate, household size and income. Over the 10-year period from 2001 to 2011, immigration grew by 400 per cent in Toronto CMA, the largest receiving area in Ontario, while the nonimmigrant population grew by 14 per cent. For Toronto CMA, immigrants, income, unemployment rate and interest rate explain the CA$158,875 average home price increase over the 2001-2011 time period. Out of this, the three categories of immigrants’ share of total home price increase is 54.57 per cent, with the corresponding interest rate share 58.60 per cent and income share 11.32 per cent of the total price growth. Unemployment rate contributes negatively to the housing price and its share of the total price increase is 24.49 per cent. Design/methodology/approach The framework for the empirical analysis applies the hedonic pricing model theory to housing sales prices for the ten largest CMAs in Ontario over the years 2001-2011. Following Akbari and Aydede (2012) and O’Meara (2015), market clearing in the housing market results in the housing price as a function of several housing attributes. The authors selected the housing attributes based on data availability for the Canadian Census years of 2001, 2006 and 2011 and the variables that have been most used in the literature. The model has the average housing prices as the dependent variable, and the independent variables are: immigrants per dwelling (Chinese, Indian, and Filipino), unemployment rate, average employment income, household size, housing supply and the interest rate. To capture the relative scarcity of dwellings, the independent variable immigrants per dwelling was used. Findings This study seems to suggest that one cause of high prices in Ontario is large inflows of immigrants together with low mortgage interest rate. The authors focused their attention on Toronto CMA, as it is the main destination of immigrants and comprises the largest cities, including Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville. Looking over the 10-year period from 2001 to 2011, the authors can see the factors that impact the home prices in Toronto CMA: immigration, unemployment rate, household size, interest rate and income. Over the period of 10 years from 2001 to 2011, immigrants’ group from China, India and the Philippines account for CA$86,701 increase in the home price (54.57 per cent share of the total increase). Income accounts for CA$17,986 increase in the home price (11.32 per cent share); interest rate accounts for CA$93,103 of the average home price increase in Toronto CMA (58.60 per cent share); and unemployment rate accounts for CA$38,916 decrease in the Toronto average home prices (24.49 per cent share). Household size remain stable over time in Toronto (2.8 average household size) and does not have a contribution to home price change. All these four factors, interest rate, immigrants, unemployment rate and income, together explain CA$158,875 increase in home prices in Toronto CMA between 2001 and 2011. Practical implications The housing market price analysis may be more complex, and there may be factors impacting the housing prices extending beyond immigration, interest rate, income and household size. Finally, the results of this paper can be extended to include the most recent census data for the year 2016 to reflect more accurately the price situation in the housing market for Ontario cities. Social implications The fact that currently, in 2017, the young working population cannot afford buying a property in the Toronto CMA area means there is a problem with this market and a corresponding decrease in the quality of life. According to The Globe and Mail (July 2017), a new pool in 2017 suggested that two in five Canadians believe housing in this country is not affordable for them. Further, 38 per cent of respondents who consider themselves middle or upper class believe in no affordability of housing. The Trudeau Government promised Canadians a national housing strategy for affordable housing. Designing a national housing strategy may be challenging because it has to account for the differential income ranges across regions. Municipal leaders are asking the government to prioritize repair and construct new affordable housing. Another reason discussed in the media of the unaffordability of housing in Toronto and Vancouver is foreign buyers. The Canadian Government recently implemented a tax measure on what it may seem the housing bubble problem: foreign buyers. Following Vancouver, in April 2017, Ontario Government imposed a 15 per cent tax on foreign buyers who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents. This tax is levied on houses purchased in the area stretching from Niagara Region and Greater Toronto to Peterborough. Originality/value Few studies use Canadian data to explain house prices and analyze the effect of immigration on housing prices. There is not much research on the effect of the immigrants and immigrants’ ethnicity (e.g., Chinese, Indian and Filipino immigrants), on the housing prices in Canada cities. This study investigates the impact of the most prevalent immigrant races (e.g., from China, India and the Philippines) on housing prices, using data for Canadian major cities in Ontario within a panel data econometric framework. This paper fills this gap and contributes to the literature, which analyzes the determinants of housing prices based on a panel of cities in the Canadian province of Ontario.
22
Mitra, Raktim, and James Schofield. "Biking the First Mile: Exploring a Cyclist Typology and Potential for Cycling to Transit Stations by Suburban Commuters." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2673, no. 4 (April 2019): 951–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0361198119837229.
Full textAbstract:
Regional commuter rail has become an important means of traveling to urban employment centers across North America, but planners are faced with the challenge of connecting commuters from their origin or destination locations to a train station. Cycling may be an efficient and low-cost way of taking these transit-access trips. However, cycling behavior of rail commuters, particularly in a suburban context, remains understudied. This research examined perceptions of cycling and current cycling behavior of 257 transit users from three suburban commuter rail stations in the Toronto region, Canada. Using a cluster analysis approach, four distinct cyclist types were identified, namely: recreational cyclists (29%), all-purpose cyclists (10%), safety-conscious occasional cyclists (33%), and facility-demanding occasional cyclists (28%). Differences between these groups included different mode-choice motivations, tolerance for adverse weather conditions, comfort bicycling in various hypothetical traffic/infrastructure conditions, and current frequency of cycling for transportation and recreational purposes. The safety-conscious group included a higher percentage of women compared to other groups. Overall, 32.5% of regional transit users would be interested in cycling more often to rail stations. A higher proportion of recreational cyclists (compared to other groups) were “interested first-mile cyclists”, whereas the safety-conscious group had a significantly greater proportion of “uninterested” respondents. With careful planning of bicycle infrastructure and awareness campaigns targeting perceptions of cycling, there is much potential for cycling to accommodate a greater proportion of transit-access trips in suburban communities, reducing demand for automobile parking at transit stations.
23
Abreu, D., D. Chandan, R. H. Holzworth, and K. Strong. "A performance assessment of the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) via comparison with the Canadian Lightning Detection Network (CLDN)." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 3, no. 4 (August 27, 2010): 1143–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/amt-3-1143-2010.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. The World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) uses globally-distributed Very Low Frequency (VLF) receivers in order to observe lightning around the globe. Its objective is to locate as many global lightning strokes as possible, with high temporal and spatial (< 10 km) accuracy. Since detection is done in the VLF range, signals from high peak current lightning strokes are able to propagate up to ~104 km before being detected by the WWLLN sensors, allowing for receiving stations to be sparsely spaced. Through a comparison with measurements made by the Canadian Lightning Detection Network (CLDN) between May and August 2008 over a 4° latitude by 4° longitude region centered on Toronto, Canada, this study found that WWLLN detection was most sensitive to high peak current lightning strokes. Events were considered shared between the two networks if they fell within 0.5 ms of each other. Using this criterion, 19 128 WWLLN strokes (analyzed using the Stroke_B algorithm) were shared with CLDN lightning strokes, producing a detection efficiency of 2.8%. The peak current threshold for WWLLN detection is found to be ~20 kA, with its detection efficiency increasing from 11.3% for peak currents greater than 20 kA to 75.8% for peak currents greater than 120 kA. The detection efficiency is seen to have a clear diurnal dependence, with a higher detection efficiency at local midnight than at local noon; this is attributed to the difference in the thickness of the ionospheric D-region between night and day. The mean time difference (WWLLN − CLDN) between shared events was −6.44 μs with a standard deviation of 35 μs, and the mean absolute location accuracy was 7.24 km with a standard deviation of 6.34 km. These results are generally consistent with previous comparison studies of the WWLLN with other regional networks around the world. Additional receiver stations are continuously being added to the network, acting to improve this detection efficiency.
24
Wren, Sumi N., John Liggio, Yuemei Han, Katherine Hayden, Gang Lu, Cris M. Mihele, Richard L. Mittermeier, Craig Stroud, Jeremy J. B. Wentzell, and Jeffrey R. Brook. "Elucidating real-world vehicle emission factors from mobile measurements over a large metropolitan region: a focus on isocyanic acid, hydrogen cyanide, and black carbon." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 18, no. 23 (November 30, 2018): 16979–7001. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-16979-2018.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. A mobile laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art gaseous and particulate instrumentation was deployed across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) during two seasons. A high-resolution time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (HR-TOF-CIMS) measured isocyanic acid (HNCO) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and a high-sensitivity laser-induced incandescence (HS-LII) instrument measured black carbon (BC). Results indicate that on-road vehicles are a clear source of HNCO and HCN and that their impact is more pronounced in the winter, when influences from biomass burning (BB) and secondary photochemistry are weakest. Plume-based and time-based algorithms were developed to calculate fleet-average vehicle emission factors (EFs); the algorithms were found to yield comparable results, depending on the pollutant identity. With respect to literature EFs for benzene, toluene, C2 benzene (sum of m-, p-, and o-xylenes and ethylbenzene), nitrogen oxides, particle number concentration (PN), and black carbon, the calculated EFs were characteristic of a relatively clean vehicle fleet dominated by light-duty vehicles (LDV). Our fleet-average EF for BC (median: 25 mg kgfuel-1; interquartile range, IQR: 10–76 mg kgfuel-1) suggests that overall vehicular emissions of BC have decreased over time. However, the distribution of EFs indicates that a small proportion of high-emitters continue to contribute disproportionately to total BC emissions. We report the first fleet-average EF for HNCO (median: 2.3 mg kgfuel-1, IQR: 1.4–4.2 mg kgfuel-1) and HCN (median: 0.52 mg kgfuel-1, IQR: 0.32–0.88 mg kgfuel-1). The distribution of the estimated EFs provides insight into the real-world variability of HNCO and HCN emissions and constrains the wide range of literature EFs obtained from prior dynamometer studies. The impact of vehicle emissions on urban HNCO levels can be expected to be further enhanced if secondary HNCO formation from vehicle exhaust is considered.
25
DODDS, KAREN L., MICHAEL H. BRODSKY, and DONALD W. WARBURTON. "A Retail Survey of Smoked Ready-to-eat Fish to Determine Their Microbiological Quality." Journal of Food Protection 55, no. 3 (March 1, 1992): 208–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x-55.3.208.
Full textAbstract:
A survey was conducted in the Toronto region in 1988/89 to determine the overall microbiological quality of both hot- and cold-smoked, ready-to-eat fish at the retail level. Of the samples collected, 34 were analyzed immediately after purchase (day 0) and 66 were analyzed at day 0 and after 30 d at 4°C. There was a wide variation in initial aerobic colony count (ACC) values, but most (77%) were under 105 CFU/g; 39% were under 103 CFU/g. After storage, just over half (56%) the samples had an ACC greater than 107 CFU/g, but some (12%) had an ACC less than 103 CFU/g. While coliforms were not detected in 70% of samples at day 0, or in 66% after 30 d, four samples initially had over 103 coliforms per g, and after 30 d, 15 samples had over 103 coliforms per g. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Clostridium botulinum were not detected in any sample at either time. The water activity of samples varied greatly; the average water activity was 0.947, and the range was from 0.727 to 0.997 (n=98). Based on the ACC guidelines for cold-smoked fish of the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods, four samples would have been rejected at day 0, and 37 at day 30.
26
Mendolia, D., R. J. C. D'Souza, G. J. Evans, and J. Brook. "Impact of NO<sub>2</sub> horizontal heterogeneity on tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> vertical columns retrieved from satellite, multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy, and in situ measurements." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions 6, no. 1 (January 25, 2013): 825–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/amtd-6-825-2013.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. Tropospheric NO2 vertical column densities were retrieved for the first time in Toronto, Canada using three methods of differing spatial scales. Remotely-sensed NO2 vertical column densities, retrieved from multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy and satellite remote sensing, were evaluated by comparison with in situ vertical column densities derived using a pair of chemiluminescence monitors situated 0.01 and 0.5 km above ground level. The chemiluminescence measurements were corrected for the influence of NOz, which reduced the NO2 concentrations at 0.01 and 0.5 km by 8 ± 1% and 12 ± 1%, respectively. The average absolute decrease in the chemiluminescence NO2 measurement as a result of this correction was less than 1 ppb. Good correlation was observed between the remotely sensed and in situ NO2 vertical column densities (Pearson R ranging from 0.68 to 0.79), but the in situ vertical column densities were 27% to 55% greater than the remotely-sensed columns. These results indicate that NO2 horizontal heterogeneity strongly impacted the magnitude of the remotely-sensed columns. The in situ columns reflected an urban environment with major traffic sources, while the remotely-sensed NO2 vertical column densities were representative of the region, which included spatial heterogeneity introduced by residential neighbourhoods and Lake Ontario. Despite the difference in absolute values, the reasonable correlation between the vertical column densities determined by three distinct methods increased confidence in the validity of the values provided by each of the methods.
27
Cheong, Ju Yong, David Goltsman, and Sanjay Warrier. "Near Infrared Fluorescence Imaging to Assess Breast Flap Perfusion and Prevention of Ischemia: Case Report." International Surgery 103, no. 9-10 (September 1, 2019): 473–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.9738/intsurg-d-16-00230.1.
Full textAbstract:
Introduction: Breast skin flap ischemia and necrosis is a serious consequence of breast reconstruction with reported incidence of 10% to 15%. Current clinical method of assessing breast skin flap perfusion includes combination of skin color, temperature, dermal edge bleeding, and capillary refill. Given the high incidence of ischemia and the presence of certain cohort of patient with greater risk, there is a need for an objective method of assessing the skin flap perfusion. Near infrared fluorescence imaging using indocyanine green is a new technique of assessing skin flap perfusion. We present a first reported case where breast skin flap ischemia was objectively identified intraoperatively by NIRF imaging, and this ischemia was reversed through active intra- and postoperative measures, which was objectively again identified by NIRF imaging. Case presentation: A 36-year-old female patient underwent bilateral nipple sparing mastectomies with immediate reconstruction using tissue expanders. Clinical assessment of the breast skin flap was equivocal. NIRF imaging using SPY imaging system (Novadaq Technologies Inc, Toronto, ON, Canada) showed poor perfusion in the periareolar region. As a result, it was decided to completely deflate the expander, actively warm the skin flap and encourage cutaneous perfusion through use of topical glycerin trinitrate patch. A repeat NIRF imaging 48 hours showed 10-fold increase in perfusion in the skin flap. Conclusion: NIRF imaging is a useful tool in assessing breast skin perfusion and to predict potential ischemia, which can aid in surgeon's management of patient.
28
Albano, Raffaele. "Investigation on Roof Segmentation for 3D Building Reconstruction from Aerial LIDAR Point Clouds." Applied Sciences 9, no. 21 (November 2, 2019): 4674. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app9214674.
Full textAbstract:
Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction techniques are increasingly used to obtain 3D representations of buildings due to the broad range of applications for 3D city models related to sustainability, efficiency and resilience (i.e., energy demand estimation, estimation of the propagation of noise in an urban environment, routing and accessibility, flood or seismic damage assessment). With advancements in airborne laser scanning (ALS), 3D modeling of urban topography has increased its potential to automatize extraction of the characteristics of individual buildings. In 3D building modeling from light detection and ranging (LIDAR) point clouds, one major challenging issue is how to efficiently and accurately segment building regions and extract rooftop features. This study aims to present an investigation and critical comparison of two different fully automatic roof segmentation approaches for 3D building reconstruction. In particular, the paper presents and compares a cluster-based roof segmentation approach that uses (a) a fuzzy c-means clustering method refined through a density clustering and connectivity analysis, and (b) a region growing segmentation approach combined with random sample consensus (RANSAC) method. In addition, a robust 2.5D dual contouring method is utilized to deliver watertight 3D building modeling from the results of each proposed segmentation approach. The benchmark LIDAR point clouds and related reference data (generated by stereo plotting) of 58 buildings over downtown Toronto (Canada), made available to the scientific community by the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), have been used to evaluate the quality of the two proposed segmentation approaches by analysing the geometrical accuracy of the roof polygons. Moreover, the results of both approaches have been evaluated under different operating conditions against the real measurements (based on archive documentation and celerimetric surveys realized by a total station system) of a complex building located in the historical center of Matera (UNESCO world heritage site in southern Italy) that has been manually reconstructed in 3D via traditional Building Information Modeling (BIM) technique. The results demonstrate that both methods reach good performance metrics in terms of geometry accuracy. However, approach (b), based on region growing segmentation, exhibited slightly better performance but required greater computational time than the clustering-based approach.
29
Esser, Kayla, Bryn Badour, Paul Davis, Kate Langrish, Pamela Chan, Michelle Shouldice, Carolyn Beck, Judy Van Clieaf, Andrew Baker, and Julia Orkin. "79 Impact of COVID-19 wave 3 paediatric inpatient unit closures on transfers to tertiary care paediatric hospital." Paediatrics & Child Health 27, Supplement_3 (October 1, 2022): e38-e38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxac100.078.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Background During Wave 3 of the COVID-19 pandemic, 15 community hospital paediatric inpatient units (comprising 167 beds) in Toronto were directed to close by the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Hospital Incident Management System (IMS) Command Centre to increase adult inpatient bed capacity. All paediatric patients from closed inpatient units were redirected to a single tertiary care paediatric hospital, which increased capacity to accommodate these additional patients through activation of surge plans, while community hospitals redeployed resources to fill much needed gaps in adult care. Objectives The objective was to describe patient characteristics of all transfers during the closure to explore the impact of community paediatric inpatient unit closures on transfers to the tertiary hospital. Design/Methods A chart review of all transferred patients was conducted during the mandated closure and subsequent reopening. Transfers excluded ICU-level transfers as these were not impacted by IMS mandated closures. All transfers were categorized as requiring tertiary care (i.e. would typically be transferred) or not requiring tertiary care (i.e. only transferred due to the closure). Variables collected included sending hospital, admitting diagnosis, patient age, hospital disposition, and length of stay. Data was collected until the last paediatric unit reopened. Quality improvement project approval was granted by the institution. Results A total of 858 patients were transferred to the tertiary hospital during the 67 day closure; of those, 530 were transferred solely to increase adult bed capacity (i.e. were categorized as patients requiring non-tertiary care). The majority of patients were admitted to general paediatrics (52%), and 39% went to a surgical inpatient unit. Most patients (68%) admitted had a length of stay between 24 and 72 hours. A third of patients admitted were under 2 years old, and a third were over 12 years old. The top three diagnoses for admission were infections, gastrointestinal issues, and general surgery. Two-thirds (60%) of transfers from closed sites came from three sites. Conclusion More than half of the transfers occurred solely due to the mandated closures, and transfers returned to a stable volume once all sites re-opened. The GTA hospital system was able to respond to the mandated closure effectively through clear high-level communication, escalation processes and structures as well as responsive, real-time problem solving. Closures increased potential adult inpatient capacity by 6740 bed days and demonstrated an unprecedented system-wide approach to the provision of integrated paediatric care across the region.
30
Gerber, Richard E., and Ken Howard. "Hydrogeology of the Oak Ridges Moraine aquifer system: implications for protection and management from the Duffins Creek watershed." Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 39, no. 9 (September 1, 2002): 1333–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e02-058.
Full textAbstract:
The Oak Ridges Moraine aquifer feeds the headwaters of major rivers in the Greater Toronto Area and is an important source of domestic water supply. Recognizing the rapid rate of urban growth in the region, there is a concern that changing land use along the moraine must be strictly controlled if groundwater is to be adequately protected. To date, efforts to incorporate groundwater protection into the land use planning process have been hampered by an inadequate quantitative hydrogeological understanding of the aquifer system. Focusing on the Duffins Creek watershed, comprehensive hydrogeological studies including a numerical flow model now provide a quantitative insight into the hydrogeologic function of the moraine. These studies demonstrate that 60% of the entire basin groundwater discharge to streams occurs along the south flank of the moraine, and 60% of this headwater discharge occurs below the 275 m above sea level contour, one of the commonly accepted planning boundaries of the moraine. The remaining discharge is contributed by aquifers within and underlying deposits that extend to the south of the moraine. While 7580% of the watershed discharge to streams is received from the uppermost aquifer, 2025% is contributed by deeper aquifers underlying the extensive NorthernNewmarket till aquitard. This work shows that the moraine sediments represent just one component of a regional flow system that extends beyond the morphological boundary of the moraine. This has important implications for groundwater protection, as it demonstrates the need for management strategies that incorporate the regional groundwater flow system and not the moraine in isolation.
31
Hossain, R., I. Burcul, J. Dai, R. Hossain, S. Strobel, Z. Ma, and S. Jamani. "LO70: Emergency department use and migration patterns of people experiencing homelessness." CJEM 22, S1 (May 2020): S33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/cem.2020.125.
Full textAbstract:
Introduction: Understanding how homeless patients interact with healthcare systems can be challenging. The nature of the population is such that identifying and following these persons can be severely limited by data. Previous studies have used survey data which relies on self-reporting and selected samples such as those persons admitted to homeless shelters (Gray et al. 2011). Other studies have been able to leverage administrative data but only for selected local geographic areas (Somers et al. 2016, Tompkins et al 2003). It is possible that the current literature has not examined a large proportion of homeless persons and their healthcare use. This is concerning because this population can have higher associated medical costs and greater medical resource utilization especially with regards to psychiatric and emergency department (ED) resources (Tulloch et al. 2012, Forchuk et al, 2015). Methods: Administrative health data (2010 to 2017) is used to analyze ambulatory care records for homeless individuals in Ontario, Canada. Uniquely, we are able to use ED contacts as a way of identifying homeless migrations from region to region within Ontario. Using a network analysis we identify high impact ED nodes and discrete hospital networks where homeless patients congregate. We are also able to more fully characterize this population's demographics, health issues, and disposition from the ED. Results: We provide a more complete understanding of migration patterns for homeless individuals, across Ontario and their concomitant ED use and hospitalizations. The three most frequented regions in Ontario (n = 640,897) were Toronto Central (35.96%), Hamilton Niagara Halimand Brant (8.9%) and Champlain (7.84%). In subsequent visits, the majority of patients presented to different EDs, however a subgroup who always presented to the same site was present. Over the 7 year period, migration between visits occurred most often between urban areas, and increased as a whole. Conclusion: The results of the study allow for the enhancement care coordination for vulnerable populations and enhance the availability and delivery of services for sub-groups of homelessness whose care needs may differ based on migration patterns. Services can be coordinated between jurisdictions for homeless individuals, and appropriate referrals can be made across the health care system. Further evidence is provided for a novel method of mapping migration among the homeless and its associations and effects on ED use.
32
Mendolia, D., R. J. C. D'Souza, G. J. Evans, and J. Brook. "Comparison of tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> vertical columns in an urban environment using satellite, multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy, and in situ measurements." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 6, no. 10 (October 31, 2013): 2907–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-2907-2013.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. Tropospheric NO2 vertical column densities have been retrieved and compared for the first time in Toronto, Canada, using three methods of differing spatial scales. Remotely sensed NO2 vertical column densities, retrieved from multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy and satellite remote sensing, were evaluated by comparison with in situ vertical column densities estimated using a pair of chemiluminescence monitors situated 0.01 and 0.5 km a.g.l. (above ground level). The chemiluminescence measurements were corrected for the influence of NOz, which reduced the NO2 concentrations at 0.01 and 0.5 km by an average of 8 ± 1% and 12 ± 1%, respectively. The average absolute decrease in the chemiluminescence NO2 measurement as a result of this correction was less than 1 ppb. The monthly averaged ratio of the NO2 concentration at 0.5 to 0.01 km varied seasonally, and exhibited a negative linear dependence on the monthly average temperature, with Pearson's R = 0.83. During the coldest month, February, this ratio was 0.52 ± 0.04, while during the warmest month, July, this ratio was 0.34 ± 0.04, illustrating that NO2 is not well mixed within 0.5 km above ground level. Good correlation was observed between the remotely sensed and in situ NO2 vertical column densities (Pearson's R value ranging from 0.72 to 0.81), but the in situ vertical column densities were 52 to 58% greater than the remotely sensed columns. These results indicate that NO2 horizontal heterogeneity strongly impacted the magnitude of the remotely sensed columns. The in situ columns reflected an urban environment with major traffic sources, while the remotely sensed NO2 vertical column densities were representative of the region, which included spatial heterogeneity introduced by residential neighbourhoods and Lake Ontario. Despite the difference in absolute values, the reasonable correlation between the vertical column densities determined by three distinct methods increased confidence in the validity of the values provided by each measurement technique.
33
Chih, Sharon, Heather J. Ross, Elsie T. Nguyen, and Richard Ward. "Heterogeneity In Regional Myocardial T2* Improvement After Deferiprone Therapy,." Blood 118, no. 21 (November 18, 2011): 3176. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood.v118.21.3176.3176.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Abstract 3176 Myocardial siderosis is a major cause of death in Thalassemia Major (TM). Intensification of iron chelation therapy (ICT) can reverse cardiac toxicity and improve survival. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging with T2* analysis of a single region of interest (ROI) within the mid septum has been shown to be representative of overall myocardial iron concentration. Histological studies, however, demonstrate heterogeneity in myocardial iron. To date, dynamics of cardiac iron removal by ICT has not been well studied. Deferiprone (DFP) is an effective oral myocardial iron chelator. This study aims to examine patterns of myocardial iron removal by DFP using a 4 segmental CMR T2* approach. All patients receiving DFP for myocardial iron overload at Toronto General Hospital, up until March 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. CMR was performed on a 1.5 Tesla scanner (Siemans, Germany) before and after DFP treatment using a gradient-multi-echo sequence and cardiac gating. 4 to 5 short-axis slices were acquired at 8 echo times (TE) in a single end-expiratory breath hold. T2* analysis was performed using CMR 42 software (Circle software, Calgary, Canada). A basal- and mid-ventricular short axis slice was chosen for analysis. CMR were analyzed by a single observer who remained blinded to the timing of the scans in relation to therapy. CMR were performed on 19 TM patients (37% (n=7) males, mean age 31 years) at an average of 83 days before and 205 days after the commencement of DFP. The average daily dose of DFP was 87mg/kg. 42% (n=8) of patients were on DFP alone and 58% (n=11) were on combination therapy with Deferoxamine (n=10) or Deferasirox (n=1). There was significant variation in myocardial T2* across the 4 regions assessed both before (P<0.001) and after (P=0.001) treatment. Prior to treatment, T2* values were lowest in the mid anteroseptum and highest in the basal inferoseptum (P<0.050) (Figure 1). Following treatment with DFP, T2* values improved significantly across all myocardial regions (P<0.030 for all). The overall median increase in T2* value was 1.6 ms (IQR: −0.2 to 4.5 ms). In the patient subgroup with severe iron overload (baseline T2* ≤10ms; n=11), the improvement in T2* varied across all 4 myocardial regions and showed a trend towards statistical significance (P=0.091). The greatest improvement was observed in the basal inferoseptum (median T2* change 4.8 ms; IQR: 0.0 to 7.2 ms) and the least improvement in the mid anteroseptum (median T2* change 1.1 ms; IQR 0.3 to 4.3 ms) (Figure 2). In this patient subgroup, trends towards significance were also demonstrated for greater improvement in median T2* in the basal (4.5 ms; IQR: 0.6 to 5.9 ms) versus mid septum (2.0 ms; IQR: −0.1 to 5.4 ms, P=0.075) and in the inferoseptum (3.9 ms; IQR: 0.0 to 6.3 ms) versus the anteroseptum (3.1 ms; IQR: 0.4 to 4.4 ms, P=0.084). The data indicate variable regional response to DFP chelation therapy that trended towards statistical significance in patients with severe myocardial iron overload (T2* ≤10 ms). The greatest increase in T2* values was observed in the myocardial region with the highest baseline T2* (basal inferoseptum) while the smallest improvement was seen in the region with the lowest baseline T2* (mid anteroseptum). This suggests that effective chelation may be more challenging in areas with more severe iron deposition. However, there was a non-significant trend to greater increase in T2* across all myocardial regions after treatment in patients with an overall baseline T2* ≤10 ms, versus T2* >10ms. Regional variability in T2* change following DFP therapy has not been previously investigated. Further studies using a multi-segmental T2* analysis approach may improve understanding of the dynamics of iron removal and provide new avenues for optimizing iron chelating regimens to maximize iron removal and improve patient-outcomes. Figure 1. Median T2* measurements before (clear bar) and after (shaded bar) DFP treatment in each myocardial region (n=19). P<0.001 before treatment and P=0.001 after treatment by Friedman's test. *P<0.050 compared with basal inferoseptum and mid anteroseptum before treatment, †P<0.050 compared with basal inferoseptum after treatment by Dunn's multiple comparisons test. Error bars indicate interquartile ranges. Figure 1. Median T2* measurements before (clear bar) and after (shaded bar) DFP treatment in each myocardial region (n=19). P<0.001 before treatment and P=0.001 after treatment by Friedman's test. *P<0.050 compared with basal inferoseptum and mid anteroseptum before treatment, †P<0.050 compared with basal inferoseptum after treatment by Dunn's multiple comparisons test. Error bars indicate interquartile ranges. Figure 2. Median change in T2* measurements after DFP for patients with an overall baseline T2* ≤10 ms (n=11). P=0.091 by Friedman's test. Error bars indicate interquartile ranges. Figure 2. Median change in T2* measurements after DFP for patients with an overall baseline T2* ≤10 ms (n=11). P=0.091 by Friedman's test. Error bars indicate interquartile ranges. Disclosures: Off Label Use: Deferiprone is an unlicensed drug in Canada and USA. It is an oral iron chelator.
34
Whaley, Cynthia H., Elisabeth Galarneau, Paul A. Makar, Michael D. Moran, and Junhua Zhang. "How much does traffic contribute to benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon air pollution? Results from a high-resolution North American air quality model centred on Toronto, Canada." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 20, no. 5 (March 11, 2020): 2911–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2911-2020.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. Benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are toxic air pollutants that have long been associated with motor vehicle emissions, though the importance of such emissions has never been quantified over an extended domain using a chemical transport model. Herein we present the first application of such a model (GEM-MACH-PAH) to examine the contribution of motor vehicles to benzene and PAHs in ambient air. We have applied the model over a region that is centred on Toronto, Canada, and includes much of southern Ontario and the northeastern United States. The resolution (2.5 km) was the highest ever employed by a model for these compounds in North America, and the model domain was the largest at this resolution in the world to date. Using paired model simulations that were run with vehicle emissions turned on and off (while all other emissions were left on), we estimated the absolute and relative contributions of motor vehicles to ambient pollutant concentrations. Our results provide estimates of motor vehicle contributions that are realistic as a result of the inclusion of atmospheric processing, whereas assessing changes in benzene and PAH emissions alone would neglect effects caused by shifts in atmospheric oxidation and particle–gas partitioning. A secondary benefit of our scenario approach is in its utility in representing a fleet of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), whose adoption is being encouraged in a variety of jurisdictions. Our simulations predicted domain-average on-road vehicle contributions to benzene and PAH concentrations of 4 %–21 % and 14 %–24 % in the spring–summer and fall–winter periods, respectively, depending on the aromatic compound. Contributions to PAH concentrations up to 50 % were predicted for the Greater Toronto Area, and the domain maximum was simulated to be 91 %. Such contributions are substantially higher than those reported at the national level in Canadian emissions inventories, and they also differ from inventory estimates at the subnational scale in the US. Our model has been run at a finer spatial scale than reported in those inventories, and furthermore includes physico-chemical processing that alters pollutant concentrations after their release. The removal of on-road vehicle emissions generally led to decreases in benzene and PAH concentrations during both periods that were studied, though atmospheric processing (such as chemical reactions and changes to particle–gas partitioning) contributed to non-linear behaviour at some locations or times of year. Such results demonstrate the added value associated with regional air quality modelling relative to examinations of emissions inventories alone. We also found that removing on-road vehicle emissions reduced spring–summertime surface O3 volume mixing ratios and fall–wintertime PM10 concentrations each by ∼10 % in the model domain, providing further air quality benefits. Toxic equivalents contributed by vehicle emissions of PAHs were found to be substantial (20 %–60 % depending on location), and this finding is particularly relevant to the study of public health in the urban areas of our model domain where human population, ambient concentrations, and traffic volumes tend to be high.
35
Peck, Rachel C., Sarah Westbury, Lucy Fitzgibbon, Neil V. Morgan, Jose Rivera, Walter H. Kahr, Nihr BioResource, et al. "Comprehensive Description of Monoallelic GP1BA Variants Associated with Thrombocytopenia." Blood 136, Supplement 1 (November 5, 2020): 34–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2020-133987.
Full textAbstract:
GP1BA encodes the glycoprotein (GP) 1bα subunit of the GP1b/IX/V complex, the platelet receptor for von Willebrand factor (VWF) and a mediator of outside-in signalling that contributes to platelet activation. Biallelic variants in GPIBA that prevent surface expression of GPIB/IX/V cause the recessive disorder Bernard Soulier Syndrome (BSS; OMIM #23100) in which there is often severe bleeding caused by thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction. Thrombocytopenia has also been associated with monoallelic missense variants in the GP1bα R loop (residues 227-242) which enhance VWF binding (platelet-type von Willebrand disease (pVWD); OMIM #177820). Other monoallelic GPIBA missense variants such as the Bolzano variant (p.Ala172Val; OMIM #153670) have been associated with dominant thrombocytopenia without altered VWF levels. In order to better describe the relationship between monoallelic GPIBA variants and thrombocytopenia we evaluated data from the NIHR BioResource for Rare Diseases, (NBR-RD) and the Inherited Platelet Disorders programmes at the Universities of Birmingham (UK), Murcia (Spain) and Toronto (Canada) in which patients with unexplained platelet disorders underwent diagnostic next generation sequencing. Using the BeviMed method for genetic association we compared the genotypes at rare nonsynoymous variants of 105 unrelated thrombocytopenia cases (platelet count (PLT) <130x109/L or the human phenotype ontology term 'HP 001873 thrombocytopenia') in the NBR-BR with those of 10,152 unrelated participants without thrombocytopenia. There was a strong statistical association (posterior probability 0.97) between dominantly inherited GPIBA variants and thrombocytopenia. Considering the five variants within the NBR-BR that drove this association alongside genotype data from the other case collections, we identified a total of 21 different monoallelic GPIBA coding variants that were rare (gnomAD allele frequency <1/1000) and had a CADD pathogenicity score >15. These were present in 29 index cases (18 females, median age 37 years) with unexplained thrombocytopenia and included the variant predicting the p.Asn150Ser substitution which was identified in seven independent index cases. The variants comprised 18 missense, two inframe insertions (one with an additional missense change) and one insertion resulting in a frame shift. Seven had been previously associated with thrombocytopenia. Sixteen of the variants predicted amino acid substitutions or single residue insertions within the GP1bα leucine rich repeat region (LRR; residues 48-200) or in adjacent regions of the LRR N- and C-terminal caps. Cases with variants in the LRR region typically displayed mild mucocutaneous bleeding, abnormal bleeding after minor trauma or surgery and heavy menstrual bleeding. The platelet count was typically 60-100 x109/L and mean platelet volume greater than 11 fL. There were two missense variants in the GP1bα R loop that have been previously associated with pVWD and two further previously unreported missense variants in the cytoplasmic domain. The final variant was a monoallelic single nucleotide insertion predicted to cause a frame shift and absent expression of GP1bα and has been previously reported as a biallelic variant associated with BSS. These data indicate that in a multicentre cross-sectional cohort of cases with otherwise unexplained thrombocytopenia, monoallelic missense GPIBA variants affecting the LRR or adjacent regions were more prevalent than R loop variants associated with pVWD or variants causing absent GP1bα expression associated with biallelic BSS. The LRR region contains the GP1bα-VWF binding site which is predicted to be disrupted by the missense variants observed in this study. The LRR region is also the location of the GP1bα Bolzano variant and six other monoallelic variants previously associated with thrombocytopenia in previous single case reports. These observations extend the repertoire of GPIBA variants associated with thrombocytopenia and although requiring experimental confirmation of pathogenicity, suggest a common molecular pathogenesis for dominant GPIBA-associated thrombocytopenia in which reduced circulating platelet numbers arises from defective GP1bα-VWF interactions. Figure Disclosures Turro: Tachyon Ventures: Other: Partner & Scientific Director.
36
Ziółkowska-Weiss, Kamila. "Selected Geographical and Tourist Aspects in the Assessment of the Quality and Standard of Living of Polonia in the Greater Toronto Area." Studia Migracyjne – Przegląd Polonijny 47, no. 3 (181) (November 2021): 79–100. http://dx.doi.org/10.4467/25444972smpp.21.033.14453.
Full textAbstract:
The quality of life is commonly referred to as a determinant of well-being, contentment, happiness or a sense of satisfaction with one’s own existence. Often used interchangeably with the level, conditions or standard of living. Quality of life is the satisfaction of meeting all human needs. The main aim of this research is to determine the level and quality of life in terms of tourism by the Polish community living in the Greater Toronto Area, which includes the city of Toronto and four regions: Halton, Peel, York and Durham.The article will present its own model of objective factors (standard of living) and subjective factors (life quality) interacting with each other with a particular emphasis on geographic and tourism aspects. The main aim of this article is to show how the Polish community living in the Greater Toronto Area assesses the aspects related to tourism management in the city. The results of the study will be presented on the basis of a survey questionnaire conducted on 583 respondents. The respondents assessed, among other things, whether they were satisfied with the conditions of rest and relaxation in this city, public transport and the environmental quality. Respondents were also asked to evaluate the activity of Polish travel agencies operating in the Greater Toronto Area. The study will also address matters related to improving the quality of life and tourism development in the city. As indicated by the respondents, such activities as supporting existing tourist activities, expansion of bicycle paths or increasing sports and recreational infrastructure (i.e. construction projects of swimming pools, tennis courts) are the main needs in the city, which could contribute to the higher rated aspects of Toronto related to tourism. Data will be presented showing that in the Polish community in the last twelve months their household had enough income to cover the costs related to leisure, vacations, holidays or school breaks.
37
Ziółkowska-Weiss, Kamila. "Assessment of the Selected Health Factors by Polonia in the Greater Toronto Area in the Relation to Their Quality and Standard of Living." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 3 (February 1, 2021): 1296. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18031296.
Full textAbstract:
Quality of life constitutes an indicator of well-being, satisfaction or happiness resulting from one’s existence. It is often referred to as a standard of living. In general, it is contentment with the fulfilment of one’s needs. The main objective of the article is to describe the selected components of the living standards and quality of life within the Polish community of the Greater Toronto Area which includes four regions: Halton, Peel, York and Durham. The model of mutually affecting objective factors (standard of living) and subjective factors (quality of life) will be presented. The specific factors (demographic, social, cultural, economic, legal, educational, geographical and health-related) included in field studies among the respondents and based on assigned indices influencing the quality of life in the Polish community of the Greater Toronto Area, will be demonstrated. The major goal of the paper is to present an assessment of aspects related to health factors, both in terms of objective factors (standard of living) and subjective ones (quality of life) by Polonia living in the Greater Toronto Area. Results will be shown on the basis of the survey questionnaire completed by 583 respondents. The questions focused on, among other issues, access to the healthcare system, competence of medical staff and access to sports facilities. Respondents also evaluated their satisfaction with their general health, both physical and mental, as well as the possibility of practicing sports associated with healthy lifestyle.
38
Nazarali, Samina, Cal H. Robinson, Farah Khan, Tayler Pocsai, Dipika Desai, Russell J. De Souza, Girish Bhatt, et al. "Deriving Normative Data on 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring for South Asian Children (ASHA): A Clinical Research Protocol." Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease 9 (January 2022): 205435812110723. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/20543581211072329.
Full textAbstract:
Background: The global prevalence of hypertension in children and adolescents has increased over the past 2 decades and is the strongest predictor of adult hypertension. South Asians have an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome associated risk factors including abdominal obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. All these factors contribute to their increased cardiovascular disease burden. Accurate and early identification of hypertension in South Asian children is a necessary aspect of cardiovascular disease prevention. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is considered the gold-standard for pediatric blood pressure (BP) measurement. However, its utilization is limited due to the lack of validated normative reference data in diverse, multiethnic pediatric populations. Objective: The primary objective is to establish normative height-sex and age-sex-specific reference values for 24-h ABPM measurements among South Asian children and adolescents (aged 5-17 years) in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada. Secondary objectives are to evaluate differences in ABPM measurements by body mass index classification, to compare our normative data against pre-existing data from German and Hong Kong cohorts, and to evaluate relationships between habitual movement behaviors, diet quality, and ABPM measurements. Design: Cross-sectional study, quasi-representative sample. Setting: Participants will be recruited from schools, community centers, and places of worship in Southern Ontario (Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, including the Peel Region) and Greater Vancouver, British Columbia. Participants: We aim to recruit 2113 nonoverweight children (aged 5-17 years) for the primary objective. We aim to recruit an additional 633 overweight or obese children to address the secondary objectives. Measurements: Ambulatory BP monitoring measurements will be obtained using Spacelabs 90217 ABPM devices, which are validated for pediatric use. The ActiGraph GT3X-BT accelerometer, which has also been validated for pediatric use, will be used to obtain movement behavior data. Methods: Following recruitment, eligible children will be fitted with 24-h ABPM and physical activity monitors. Body anthropometrics and questionnaire data regarding medical and family history, medications, diet, physical activity, and substance use will be collected. Ambulatory BP monitoring data will be used to develop height-sex- and age-sex-specific normative reference values for South Asian children. Secondary objectives include evaluating differences in ABPM measures between normal weight, overweight and obese children; and comparing our South Asian ABPM data to existing German and Hong Kong data. We will also use compositional data analysis to evaluate associations between a child’s habitual movement behaviors and ABPM measures. Limitations: Bloodwork will not be performed to facilitate recruitment. A non-South Asian comparator cohort will not be included due to feasibility concerns. Using a convenience sampling approach introduces the potential for selection bias. Conclusions: Ambulatory BP monitoring is a valuable tool for the identification and follow-up of pediatric hypertension and overcomes many of the limitations of office-based BP measurement. The development of normative ABPM data specific to South Asian children will increase the accuracy of BP measurement and hypertension identification in this at-risk population, providing an additional strategy for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.
39
Woodside, Jonathan, Markus Moos, and Tara Vinodrai. "Private Car, Public Oversight: Municipal Regulation of Ride-hailing Platforms in Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe." Canadian Planning and Policy / Aménagement et politique au Canada 2021 (August 10, 2021): 146–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.24908/cpp-apc.v2021i01.14362.
Full textAbstract:
Municipalities in many regions of Canada have regulated vehicle-for-hire services. With the rise of ride-hailing platforms, such as Uber and Lyft, this responsibility to produce a reliable vehicle-for-hire service has largely been transferred to private platforms. Using a case study of the City of Toronto and surrounding Greater Golden Horseshoe, this article examines how local regulation of this critical urban mobility service has changed. Drawing upon an analysis of 27 interviews with municipal staff, councilors and industry experts, a review of written local media, and a review of government documents, the study finds that municipalities are withdrawing from direct control of the industry due to a lack of tools of oversight and a prioritization of private industry over public service. The study discusses ongoing challenges that may be addressed by greater oversight of the service. It concludes by highlighting examples of municipalities growing their capacity for oversight and provides recommendations for further growth.
40
Kim, Ben, Peyman Ghasemi, Paul Stolee, and Joon Lee. "Clinicians and Older Adults’ Perceptions of the Utility of Patient-Generated Health Data in Caring for Older Adults: Exploratory Mixed Methods Study." JMIR Aging 4, no. 4 (November 5, 2021): e29788. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/29788.
Full textAbstract:
Background Many people are motivated to self-track their health and optimize their well-being through mobile health apps and wearable devices. The diversity and complexity of these systems have evolved over time, resulting in a large amount of data referred to as patient-generated health data (PGHD), which has recently emerged as a useful set of data elements in health care systems around the world. Despite the increased interest in PGHD, clinicians and older adults’ perceptions of PGHD are poorly understood. In particular, although some clinician barriers to using PGHD have been identified, such as concerns about data quality, ease of use, reliability, privacy, and regulatory issues, little is known from the perspectives of older adults. Objective This study aims to explore the similarities and differences in the perceptions of older adults and clinicians with regard to how various types of PGHD can be used to care for older adults. Methods A mixed methods study was conducted to explore clinicians and older adults’ perceptions of PGHD. Focus groups were conducted with older adults and health care providers from the Greater Toronto area and the Kitchener-Waterloo region. The participants were asked to discuss their perceptions of PGHD, including facilitators and barriers. A questionnaire aimed at exploring the perceived usefulness of a range of different PGHD was also embedded in the study design. Focus group interviews were transcribed for thematic analysis, whereas the questionnaire results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the 9 participants, 4 (44%) were clinicians (average age 38.3 years, SD 7 years), and 5 (56%) were older adults (average age 81.0 years, SD 9.1 years). Four main themes were identified from the focus group interviews: influence of PGHD on patient-provider trust, reliability of PGHD, meaningful use of PGHD and PGHD-based decision support systems, and perceived clinical benefits and intrusiveness of PGHD. The questionnaire results were significantly correlated with the frequency of PGHD mentioned in the focus group interviews (r=0.42; P=.03) and demonstrated that older adults and clinicians perceived blood glucose, step count, physical activity, sleep, blood pressure, and stress level as the most useful data for managing health and delivering high-quality care. Conclusions This embedded mixed methods study generated several important findings about older adults and clinicians’ perceptions and perceived usefulness of a range of PGHD. Owing to the exploratory nature of this study, further research is needed to understand the concerns about data privacy, potential negative impact on the trust between older adults and clinicians, data quality and quantity, and usability of PGHD-related technologies for older adults.
41
Jacobs, A. J. "Embedded Contrasts in Race, Municipal Fragmentation, and Planning: Divergent Outcomes in the Detroit and Greater Toronto–Hamilton Regions 1990–2000." Journal of Urban Affairs 31, no. 2 (May 2009): 147–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9906.2009.00440.x.
Full text
42
Pugliese, S. C., J. G. Murphy, J. A. Geddes, and J. M. Wang. "The impacts of precursor reduction and meteorology on ground-level ozone in the Greater Toronto Area." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions 14, no. 7 (April 22, 2014): 10209–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acpd-14-10209-2014.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. Tropospheric ozone (O3) is a major component of photochemical smog and is a known human health hazard as well as a damaging factor for vegetation. Its precursor compounds, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), have a variety of anthropogenic and biogenic sources and exhibit non-linear effects on ozone production. As an update to previous studies on ground-level ozone in the GTA, we present an analysis of NO2, VOC and O3 data from federal and provincial governmental monitoring sites in the GTA from 2000–2012. We show that over the study period, summertime 24 h VOC reactivity and NO2 midday (11:00–15:00) concentrations at all sites decreased significantly; since 2000, all sites experienced a decrease in NO2 of 28–62% and in measured VOC reactivity of at least 53–71%. Comparing 2002/2003 to 2011/2012, the summed reactivity of OH towards NO2 and a suite of measured VOCs decreased from 8.6 to 4.6 s−1. Ratios of reactive VOC pairs indicate that the effective OH concentration experienced by primary pollutants in the GTA has increased significantly over the study period. Despite the continuous decrease in precursor levels, ozone concentrations are not following the same pattern at all stations; it was found that the Canada-Wide Standard for ozone continues to be exceeded at all monitoring stations. Additionally, while the years 2008–2011 had consistently lower ozone levels than previous years, 2012 experienced one of the highest recorded summertime ozone concentrations and a large number of smog episodes. We demonstrate that these high ozone observations in 2012 may be a result of the number of days with high solar radiation, the number of stagnant periods and the transport of high ozone levels from upwind regions.
43
Pugliese, S. C., J. G. Murphy, J. A. Geddes, and J. M. Wang. "The impacts of precursor reduction and meteorology on ground-level ozone in the Greater Toronto Area." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 14, no. 15 (August 15, 2014): 8197–207. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-8197-2014.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. Tropospheric ozone (O3) is a major component of photochemical smog and is a known human health hazard, as well as a damaging factor for vegetation. Its precursor compounds, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), have a variety of anthropogenic and biogenic sources and exhibit non-linear effects on ozone production. As an update to previous studies on ground-level ozone in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), we present an analysis of NO2, VOC and O3 data from federal and provincial governmental monitoring sites in the GTA from 2000 to 2012. We show that, over the study period, summertime 24 h VOC reactivity and NO2 midday (11:00–15:00) concentrations at all sites decreased significantly; since 2000, all sites experienced a decrease in NO2 of 28–62% and in measured VOC reactivity of at least 53–71%. Comparing 2002–2003 to 2011–2012, the summed reactivity of OH towards NO2 and a suite of measured VOCs decreased from 8.6 to 4.6 s−1. Ratios of reactive VOC pairs indicate that the effective OH concentration experienced by primary pollutants in the GTA has increased significantly over the study period. Despite the continuous decrease in precursor levels, ozone concentrations are not following the same pattern at all stations; it was found that the Canada-wide Standard for ozone continues to be exceeded at all monitoring stations. Additionally, while the years 2008–2011 had consistently lower ozone levels than previous years, 2012 experienced one of the highest recorded summertime ozone concentrations and a large number of smog episodes. We demonstrate that these high ozone observations in 2012 may be a result of the number of days with high solar radiation, the number of stagnant periods and the transport of high ozone levels from upwind regions.
44
Soberman, Richard M. "Rethinking Urban Transportation: Lessons from Toronto." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 1606, no. 1 (January 1997): 33–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/1606-05.
Full textAbstract:
Toronto is widely perceived to have developed efficient solutions to transportation during periods of rapid population growth, attributed largely to significant investment in public transit and effective means of managing growth in an orderly manner. Relative to comparably sized cities elsewhere in North America, the downtown has flourished and urban sprawl appears to have been contained within reasonable limits. Yet, despite a high degree of centralized planning and policies that favor transit over road improvements, on a regionwide basis, both modal split and transit ridership have actually declined, road congestion has reached serious levels in outlying regions, and the central area is losing its dominance as the location of new employment creation. This experience suggests a need to rethink the advisability of continued preoccupation with rail-dominated (subway, light rail transit, and high-technology transit), centrally oriented, capital-intensive transit improvements at the expense of lower-cost (and lower political profile) operational enhancements of surface transit, more effective means of dealing with road congestion, and greater reliance on business principles in the provision of transit service. In particular, there is a need to rethink government policies that favor capital over operational improvements, cost-based subsidy formulae that reward high costs rather than performance, intergovernmental transfers that obfuscate real costs perceived at the local decision-making level, and evaluation procedures that rely on alleged social and environmental advantages wherever reasonable ridership estimates fail to justify the selection of a preconceived preferred technology in assessing the true viability of new projects.
45
Samers, Michael. "Bell, Judith Kjellberg and Webber, Steven (eds), "Urban Regions in a Global Context: Directions for the Greater Toronto Area (Proceedings of a Conference, University of Toronto, 18-20 October 1995)" (Book Review)." Town Planning Review 69, no. 1 (January 1998): 99. http://dx.doi.org/10.3828/tpr.69.1.e3344815j6384023.
Full text
46
Lembcke, David, Bill Thompson, Kaitlyn Read, Andrew Betts, and Dilan Singaraja. "REDUCING ROAD SALT APPLICATION BY CONSIDERING WINTER MAINTENANCE NEEDS IN PARKING LOT DESIGN." Journal of Green Building 12, no. 2 (March 2017): 1–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.3992/1943-4618.12.2.1.
Full textAbstract:
INTRODUCTION Winter snow and ice can have a significant impact on our mobility, whether on foot or by car. Alongside plowing, arguably the greatest tool in combating snow and ice is salt. The most commonly used salt for winter maintenance is Sodium Chloride (NaCl), the same salt used in food and water softeners, is applied to roads, sidewalks, and parking lots as it is an effective deicer when temperatures are between 0°C and −12°C. Studies have shown that deicing with salt reduces accidents by 88% and injuries by 85% (Salt Institute 2017). The effectiveness of road salt, as well as its relative affordability, means that as much as four million tonnes may be applied annually in Canada for deicing (Environment Canada 2012). However, while salt is relatively inexpensive to purchase, there are a number of external costs that are becoming increasingly apparent. These include corrosion of vehicles and infrastructure like concrete, bridges, and water mains; damage and staining to the interior and exterior of buildings; impacts to roadside vegetation and soils; and the contamination of fresh water. In fact, the environmental impacts are such that it prompted Environment Canada to propose that winter salt be considered a toxic substance primarily due to the quantity that is applied annually (Environment Canada 2001). The Lake Simcoe watershed, approximately 3,400km2 in size, is situated just 20km north of Toronto, Ontario, with the southern portion of the watershed being considered part of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the most populous metropolitan area in Canada. As part of the GTA, the Lake Simcoe watershed has experienced and continues to experience considerable growth, and with this growth comes an increase in the amount of impervious surfaces requiring winter salting. Indeed, chloride has been showing a strong increasing trend in the urban creeks and in Lake Simcoe itself over the last 30 years. Even rural creeks are showing an increasing trend, albeit not as severe, nor are the concentrations of chloride reaching the same levels (LSRCA 2015). The highest chloride level recorded in a Lake Simcoe tributary was 6,120mg/l in the winter of 2013. Chloride guidelines for the protection of aquatic ecosystems utilize a guideline of 120mg/L for chronic exposure and 640mg/L for acute exposure (CCME 2011). While the high value recorded in the Lake Simcoe tributary greatly exceeds these guidelines, it is still drastically lower than values being recorded in larger, intensively urbanized catchments such as Cooksville Creek in Mississauga, Ontario, which sees concentrations in excess of 20,000 mg/L, the concentration of sea water, nearly every winter (Credit Valley Conservation personal comm). Similarly, in July of 2011 a small population of Atlantic blue crabs, a marine species, was found surviving in Mimico Creek in Toronto (Toronto Star: May 26, 2012). That a marine species was able to survive in this fresh water creek in summer demonstrates that the impacts of winter salt are not just limited to winter but are impacting shallow groundwater and thus summer baseflow, maintaining high chloride concentrations year round. The same is being seen in some urban creeks in the Lake Simcoe watershed, with summer baseflow concentrations exceeding the chronic guideline and trending upwards (LSRCA unpublished). While not yet as extreme as rivers in the more densely urbanized parts of the GTA, these examples foreshadow what is in store for Lake Simcoe rivers if current winter salt practices continue along with the projected urban growth. During the winter of 2012 an estimated 99,300 tonnes of salt was applied in the Lake Simcoe watershed, an amount that equals nearly 250kg of salt per capita, or ~3 times the average person's body weight in salt. This estimate was generated through a survey of local road agencies along with the total area of commercial/institutional parking lots within the watershed. The exercise served to highlight a knowledge gap around application practices and rates in commercial/institutional parking lots. The majority of road agencies were found to record annual volumes, application dates and rates whereas literature values range from 10–40% of the salt applied in a catchment come from commercial/institutional parking lots (Perera et al, 2009; Trowbridge et al, 2010; Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, 2015), and a survey of winter maintenance contractors cite an average value of approximately 58g/m2/application (Fu et al, 2013) ( Figure 1 ). [Figure: see text] While these values were used in the estimation as they were the best available, observational data suggested these may be on the conservative side ( Figure 2 ). [Figure: see text] Therefore, monitoring of a 14 ha commercial lot was undertaken for the winters of 2014/15, 2015/16, and 2016/17 to better quantify the amount of salt coming from this type of land use. The winters of 2014/15 and 2016/17 saw similar applications of 1,067 and 1,010 tonnes applied respectively, while the mild winter of 2015/16 saw 556 tonnes applied. While the amounts varied somewhat each winter, the impacts downstream were consistent. Maximum concentrations recorded in the melt water reached 3.5 to 4 times the salt concentration of sea water every winter, equating to chloride concentrations of 70,000mg/L to 85,000mg/L; two orders of magnitude above the water quality guideline. As with most parking lots constructed in the last two decades, the runoff from this parking lot is captured in a stormwater pond prior to entering the receiving watercourse. Interestingly, the winter salt also caused persistent chemical stratification in the permanent pool of the pond. The pond was monitored with continuous monitors for the ice free period of 2015 and 2016 (April to December) during which the bottom water chloride concentration remained distinct from the surface chloride concentration, indicating stratification ( Figure 3 ). This has two significant implications; first of which is that this pond, and therefore many other ponds like it, may not be functioning as designed which is leading to diminished performance (McEnroe 2012, Marsalek 2003). Second is that ponds are acting as salt reservoirs, slowly releasing salt year round and contributing to river chloride concentrations that continually exceed the chronic exposure guideline and thereby exposing aquatic life to harmful concentrations during sensitive life cycle stages. [Figure: see text] To determine the extent to which the catchment land use type impacts stormwater ponds, chemical profiles were measured on three ponds in February 2017. The catchments included the 24.6 ha commercial catchment with 14 ha of salt application surface, an institutional catchment (14.3 ha) with 6 ha of salt application area that includes parking lots and roads, and a 16.4 ha residential catchment with 3 ha of salt application area comprised of tertiary municipal roads. Interestingly, all three ponds showed chemical stratification, with the severity of the stratification and highest chloride concentrations relating to the amount of salt application area in the catchment. The residential pond yielded a maximum chloride concentration of 3,115mg/L in the bottom waters, the institutional yielded 16,144mg/L, and the commercial yielded 25,530 mg/L with chloride concentrations in the bottom 0.5m of the pond exceeding that of sea water. The maximum chloride concentration recorded in the receiving watercourse downstream of the commercial lot was measured at 5,406 mg/L, well in excess of the acute guideline of 640 mg/L. These results highlight that commercial parking lots are not only receiving a significant volume of salt but are also having the most dramatic impacts on receiving stormwater infrastructure and watercourses.
47
Davis, Alexandra. "A-292 Graph Theoretical Analysis of Brain Functional Connectivity in Initiation and Inhibition Tasks." Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology 37, no. 6 (August 17, 2022): 1443–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acac060.292.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Objective: Using graph theoretical analysis, the current study explores network properties of highly associated brain areas during initiation and inhibition. Method: The current study utilized a publicly available dataset of functional connectivity matrices generated during initiation and inhibition (go/nogo paradigm) in 144 healthy adults between the age of 20 and 86 who were recruited from the greater Toronto area (Jenny R Rieck et. al, 2021). The researcher selected brain areas (ROIs) that showed high correlation (>0.75) from each participant's matrices and input high incidents of functional connectivity among all participants into an incidental matrix which was used to generate a network graph for each task. ROIs are presented as nodes (vertices) while their connections are edges. Core measures, such as degree distribution, mean distance, within module degree z score, and gateway coefficient, were analyzed. Results: The analysis showed a disconnected network across several brain regions and several common connections among somatomotor, default A, and peripheral visual networks. For the initiation task, the medial prefrontal cortex on both hemispheres are more frequently activated. A high betweenness was found in different brain areas for the inhibition and initiation across visual and default networks. Further analysis showed the extra-striate cortex appears to be the “hub” for initiation while the extra-striate superior cortex appears to be the “hub” for inhibition. Conclusion(s): The present study showed several common brain areas that are activated during both initiation and inhibition, highlighted differences in activation between the two tasks and explored several areas that could be a “hub” during each task.
48
Konstantelos, Natalia, Ahmad Shakeri, Daniel McCormack, Anabel Campos-Meade, Tara Gomes, Michelle Murti, Valérie Pierre-Pierre, and Mina Tadrous. "Regional differences in access to direct-acting antiviral treatments for hepatitis C across Ontario: A cross-sectional study." Canada Communicable Disease Report 48, no. 4 (April 6, 2022): 170–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v48i04a08.
Full textAbstract:
Background: Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are curative treatments for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, a condition affecting over 100,000 Ontarians. Although DAAs are covered under the public drug programs in Ontario, receiving prescriptions depends on access to healthcare. The aim of this study is to understand the relationship between DAA treatment rates and distance to prescriber in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study and identified patients who filled a DAA prescription through the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) in 2019. We calculated crude (per 100,000 ODB recipients) and adjusted (by a regional HCV infection rate) DAA treatment rates by public health unit (PHU). We reported median distances to provider for all visit types, in-person visits, virtual visits, and proportions of visits that were virtual. Results: In 2019, the crude DAA treatment rate for Ontario is 83.0 patients per 100,000 ODB recipients. The HCV-adjusted DAA treatment rate ranges from 28.2 (Northwestern Ontario) to 188.5 (Eastern Ontario) per 100,000. In our primary analysis, patients in rural PHUs, including Northwestern and Porcupine, were among the highest median distances to prescriber for all visit types (1,195 km and 556 km, respectively). These PHUs also had the highest proportions of virtual visits (greater than 60%). Urban PHUs, such as Toronto and Ottawa, had smaller median distances for all visit types, with smaller proportions of virtual visits (10.8% and 12.4%, respectively). Conclusion: We observed heterogeneity in treatment rates, distance to DAA prescribers and use of virtual care in the management of HCV. Increasing use of telemedicine in regions with limited utilization of DAAs may improve access.
49
Swartz, Richard H., Elizabeth Linkewich, Shelley Sharp, Jacqueline Willems, Chris Olynyk, Nicola Tahair, Megan L. Cayley, and Mark T. Bayley. "A System-Based Intervention to Improve Access to Hyperacute Stroke Care." Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques 44, no. 5 (May 9, 2017): 475–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/cjn.2017.40.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractBackground:Hyperacute stroke is a time-sensitive emergency for which outcomes improve with faster treatment. When stroke systems are accessed via emergency medical services (EMS), patients are routed to hyperacute stroke centres and are treated faster. But over a third of patients with strokes do not come to the hospital by EMS, and may inadvertently arrive at centres that do not provide acute stroke services. We developed and studied the impact of protocols to quickly identify and move “walk-in” patients from non-hyperacute hospitals to regional stroke centres (RSCs).Methods and Results:Protocols were developed by a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional working group and implemented across 14 acute hospital sites within the Greater Toronto Area in December of 2012. Key metrics were recorded 18 months pre- and post-implementation. The teams regularly reviewed incident reports of protocol non-adherence and patient flow data. Transports increased by 80% from 103 to 185. The number of patients receiving tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) increased by 68% from 34 to 57. Total EMS transport time decreased 17 minutes (mean time of 54.46 to 37.86 minutes,p<0.0001). Calls responded to within 9 minutes increased from 34 to 59%.Conclusions:A systems-based approach that included a multi-organizational collaboration and consensus-based protocols to move patients from non-hyperacute hospitals to RSCs resulted in more patients receiving hyperacute stroke interventions and improvements in EMS response and transport times. As hyperacute stroke care becomes more centralized and endovascular therapy becomes more broadly implemented, the protocols developed here can be employed by other regions organizing patient flow across systems of stroke care.
50
Basham, P. W., and L. R. Newitt. "A historical summary of Geological Survey of Canada studies of earthquake seismology and geomagnetism." Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 30, no. 2 (February 1, 1993): 372–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e93-028.
Full textAbstract:
The solid-earth geophysical sciences of seismology and geomagnetism have roots in Canada that predate the founding of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) in 1842. These sciences matured in the Dominion Observatory, which was formed in 1904, and came to the GSC when it merged with the Earth Physics Branch in 1986. For most of the past three decades, these two sciences have been closely linked in the federal government by a common administration and by jointly housed and staffed observatories.Knowledge of Canadian earthquakes dates from the time of first European settlement, in the 17th century in eastern Canada and in the 19th century in western Canada. Instrumental recording began at the end of the 19th century, but the early instruments were unable to detect most of the earthquakes occurring in Canada. An ability to locate and study Canadian earthquakes followed the installation of sensitive seismograph stations in the east in the late 1920's and in the west in the early 1950's; the impetus for these installations came from large damaging earthquakes in both regions. Assessments of seismic hazards were first made in the 1940's, were displayed on three successively more detailed seismic zoning maps up to 1985, and are currently under revision for 1995. The Standard Seismograph Network, installed in the 1960's as the Canadian contribution to a worldwide program and supplemented by regional station networks in the 1970's and 1980's, has greatly advanced our understanding of Canadian earthquakes. These networks are now being refurbished to form a modern, satellite-based, digital network that should stand the GSC s seismology program in good stead into the next century.Magnetic observations in Canada date from the time of the earliest European explorers, Cartier and Champlain. Other explorers made measurements of magnetic declination during expeditions in search of the Northwest Passage. A Toronto magnetic observatory was established in 1840, and the observations begun there started a series of secular change measurements that continues today as part of the repeat station network. Major magnetic surveys made by the Toronto observatory staff formed the basis of the magnetic charts of British North America until the 20th century. Shortly after its founding, the Dominion Observatory began a comprehensive magnetic survey of Canada, which has evolved into the 60-station repeat station program in the GSC today. The Dominion Observatory also expanded the permanent magnetic observatory network to a total of 13 stations by the late 1970's, which, under the current GSC program, are being refurbished with the latest generation of digital technology. A breakthrough in regional magnetic field modelling was made in the 1980's with the development of spherical cap harmonic analysis, which is now used for revisions of the Canadian Geomagnetic Reference Field. Magnetic disturbance forecasting was begun in the 1970's, and has recently taken on greater importance as the complexity of the technology at risk has increased.